Summer hiking experience

Climb peaks in mountain boots and experience sunrises together

Similaunhütte (3019m) from Vernagt
in the Senales valley through the Tisental to the Similaunhütte

Route: From the small car park in Vernagt at the beginning of the reservoir in Schnals (1,711 m) follow road no. 2 northwest up to the Tisenhof snack station (1,814 m). From the farm northwards on a pleasant slope through a sparse larch forest belt up through the Tisental. Across beautifully graded terrain towards the blocking rock belt of the Tisenjoch and at the end keeping a little to the right, on an easy rocky path up to the Similaunhütte on the Niederjoch (3,019 m).

Descent: Same as promotion.

Similaunhütte (3019m) from Vent
via the Martin Busch Hut to the Similaun Hut

Route: From the parking lot, near the Wildspitz lift, turn left at the small church over a wooden bridge and up into the village. At the Hotel Vent turn right slightly down to the Venter Ache, over the bridge and along the supports from the small drag lift up. Soon keep left, along the road always slightly uphill, south into the Niedertal.

Past a newly built alpine pasture and a chapel and further into the valley. Soon afterwards you pass the old shepherd's hut made of stones, where the path becomes a little steeper and leads high above the stream gorge directly to the Samoar Hut (Martin Busch Hut).

From the Martin Busch Hütte (Samoarhütte) we follow the signs to “Similaunhütte” northwest into the Niedertal. Soon the path leads in a few serpentines onto a moraine ridge west of the valley floor. We follow this in the same basic direction, always slightly uphill, until we reach the junction to the Ötzi discovery site. Keeping to the left, continue straight ahead, slightly downwards and over a short insured passage up and again on a moraine ridge directly to the Similaunhütte.

Descent: Same as promotion.

Similaun (3606 m) from the Similaunhütte

Mountain tour (glacier high tour) from the Similaunhütte over the Niederjochferner to the Similaun

Route: From the Similaunhütte briefly on the blockwork southwards, diagonally down to the glacier tongue, then up over the glacier, which is initially quite flat but soon rises and is full of crevasses.

Depending on the conditions, stick to the middle, avoid the steep part in a sweeping right turn, then head southwest directly towards the summit structure.

Or after the first short flat section, turn right onto the side block ridge, briefly steeply over a rocky ridge and continue along the ridge, whereby you only enter the glacier in the upper flat basin and climb not too steeply to the east to the summit structure (fewer crevasses). Over the initially wide block ridge to the last small field of snow and along the razor-sharp snow or ice ridge to the summit.

Descent: You can combine the two routes. Climb over the entire glacier and then descend along the aforementioned block ridge.

Fineilspitze (3516 m) from Vernagt Mountain tour (high tour) from Vernagt through the Tisental to the Similaunhütte and via the Ötzi discovery site to the Fineilspitze

Route: From the small car park in Vernagt at the beginning of the reservoir in Schnals (1,711 m) follow road no. 2 northwest up to the Tisenhof snack station (1,814 m). From the farm northwards on a pleasant slope through a sparse larch forest belt up through the Tisental. Across beautifully graded terrain towards the blocking rock belt of the Tisenjoch and at the end keeping a little to the right, on an easy rocky path up to the Similaunhütte on the Niederjoch (3,019 m).

From the hut on a marked, partly insured mountain path, briefly steeply to the north-west onto a rocky head and along fixed ropes diagonally down to the north-east flank of the ridge. Soon afterwards on the widening ridge up and down to the Ötzi discovery site at Tisenjoch (3,210 m) - stone pyramid with information boards commemorating the discovery of Ötzi.

A few more meters northwards on the unmarked mountain path to the Hauslabjoch (3,280 m). Shortly downwards and along the edge of the glacier to the west over the firn field, which is apparently crevassed, to the summit of the Fineilspitze and up on the northeast ridge over boulder and rubble terrain. From a flat pre-summit in an airy ridge crossing over to the Haut summit.

Descent: Same as promotion.

Summer route
for experienced hikers